"So, it has come to pass," I said as I landed on the side of the brand-new mountain that had sprung up in the wilderness.

The Draconequus regarded me sullenly as I folded my wings across my back. I was braced for anything, or so I'd thought. Discord's response surprised me, though.

"Not now, Celestia. I'm not in the mood."

I blinked, surprised. I'd never seen Discord upset before. At least, not like this. He had his moods, certainly, but those typically ranged from amusement to annoyance.

"I'd like to just leave you alone, Discord. But you know that I can't do that."

"Celestia, I swear, if you two don't leave me alone, it's going to end badly for you both." I felt a chill as I realized that our ruse had already been uncovered. "Oh, yes," he said, seeing my surprise. "I can sense little Luna sneaking up behind me, bearing the other three Elements. Did you think I wouldn't know?"

"I was hoping you wouldn't, yes."

"I'm not in the mood for games, Celestia."

"Since when?" I asked.

That was a mistake, one I regretted instantly as the enraged Spirit of Chaos spun to face me. I'd seen Discord angry before, or so I'd thought, but what I was witnessing now was an incandescent fury that I'd never expected to see from the ordinarily urbane spirit.

"Since you put this leash on me!" he roared, and I stepped back, afraid for my life for the first time in a very long while. Discord's voice echoed down the mountainside, and here and there the stone cracked, falling down in random avalanches.

"What..." I swallowed, trying to work some moisture back into my mouth. "What leash would that be?"

"These infernal Keepers of yours! Why did you do that?" The rage faded somewhat, and I was amazed to see... pain? Could it be?

"I... I only wanted you to have company," I said, suddenly unfamiliar with creature I was facing. "I wasn't even sure if you were aware..."

"Oh, I was aware. Every single second of every day. And, honestly? I could not have cared less for any of them. Any of them except Sunny Meadows."

"Ah, the last Keeper," I said, then flinched as he glared at me.

"Yes, the last, late Keeper," he replied.

I looked away from his face, and then something caught my eye. Clutched tightly in his eagle's talon was a bundle of papers. A mystery for another time, perhaps.

"Why, Celestia?"

"Why?" I repeated.

"Why did you do that to me? Why did you give me servants, though I was entrapped in stone? Why did... Why... Why do they die so quickly?"

"Ah." I said. In order to hide my surprise, I looked away, towards the sky, and saw Luna on her approach. I caught her eye and shook my head. Confused, but trusting me, Luna turned and banked away. "It's the cost of immortality, Discord. Those who are mortal, no matter how long they may live, pass away before we truly get to know them. Then we spend the rest of our lives mourning them."

"It's not really worth it, then, is it?" he said, as he held out his talon. A burst of fire, almost too bright to look at, consumed the letter in an eye blink.

"It's worth it," I replied. "To me, at least."

"Oh? How so?"

"Because the alternative is to never get to know them. Those lovely, wonderful, and above all brief ponies would live their lives and die without us ever knowing them at all. We would deny ourselves the joy and the beauty of their time on this world, and our own lives would be the poorer for it. And, because... Well, they say that nopony truly dies while someone keeps them alive in their hearts." I stepped forward and bowed my head. "And, as we are immortal, that means that those precious to us will never truly die."

Discord let out a bark of what almost could have been laughter. "That brings me surprisingly little comfort now, you know."

"I know. But it will get easier to bear."

He grunted, then sighed.

"So, what now?" I asked him.

"What now?" he repeated. "Now, I spend some time thinking. Some idle reflection, listless contemplation."

"And, once you are done thinking things over?"

"Then we'll just have to see. I am the Spirit of Chaos, after all."

"I see."

Discord stood and stretched, then looked at me. "Out of curiosity, Celestia, can you tell me what this emotion is?"

"What em—"

The feeling hit me hard, streaming from Discord straight into my heart. It felt a little fierce, like anger, but also giddy, like joy. Happiness, protectiveness, fear and courage... it had aspects of all of them, but was made of none of them. It was its own emotion, and one I knew well.

"That, Discord, is love."

He snorted with contempt. "Love? No. I know love. I love chaos. I love the unexpected. I love—"

Everything up to this point was awesome. This chapter felt almost disingenuous. The dialogue was clunky and lacked conviction, especially on Celestia's part.Her words and the emotions coming from her are what you'd expect to get from someone talking over coffee, not of a leader confronting one an enemy in a situation that could be the end of her world. Only to realize that they are emotionally vulnerable and could possibly be convinced not to be an enemy.How wonderful the rest of the story is serves to highlight how much this chapter doesn't stack up.

I did not cry I only have once for a fic and twice on my own but it was sad and I am still feeling sorry for Discord even though he pranked Celestia and Luna at the end seriously what was there to expect for what fun is there in making sense?

You. . . Broke. . . emtisons. . . Don't know what I'm feeling. . . Sad, happiness, hilarity, anger, gab!!! Also tiredness, and blindess due to having taken off my glasses. I apoigise for typos, I cannot see what I am typong.

He disappeared in a puff of smoke that smelled slightly of cheese.I smirked.And that's when the entire mountain turned into a a large, shifting pile of rainbow-colored gumballs. watThis alone deserves a favorite.Not as well written and convincing as the earlier chapter, but now I wonder whether in a few tens of millenias Discord wouldn't try to do the same thing to Equestria and get entrapped in stone just to feel the same emotions... again.

1585913......I realise it has been 18 weeks but I assume you deserve an answer.For some sick reason the site never told me about your query here... yes, that is a Replicator. I love those guys.Again, I'm sorry, but I only just got an idea to reread it and then I skimmed the comments, noticed my own and realised someone answered...Oh, well, maybe the new version of the site will be better at that.

Now, the story. I must say, I think time was what I needed. After that reread I got hit by the so called 'feels'. Again...So, again, thank you, HoopyMcGee... thank you...

I always get teary-eyed at this story, it really is truly one of my most treasured.I think I may print this out, to keep it with me so I can always have it and, if it happens, read it to my kids. Then they can pass it on to their kids and their kids and so on and so forth. This really is something I want to keep with me forever and hopefully my maybe children can treauser it just as much as me. I really do love this story and I thank you for writing it.

2184686 everyone wants eternal youth, but no one ever thinks about what would happen if they ever truely got to know and love someone. people like me who cant love would find immortality interesting, but we would get bored and attempt death.

The feels. I love dis. I have thought about immortality ever since I found out Discord was 1000 years old. (One of the many reasons I am a Fluttercord fan.) I have wondered if Discord ever loved somepony.